Country

[twistedAM]

Hence my careful use of the word "or".

But anyway, I was thinking of the Willie Nelson of the 'Red Headed Stranger' album and not really anything else to be honest.

That's the only Willie Nelson album that really cuts the mustard for me.

That's the trouble with country in that there are actually few great albums as such cos they were all so damn prolific and covered each others hit songs, so much of the time we're at the mercy of major labels doing best of compilations from particular eras.

Sony actually put together some good full-price collections in the late 90s that now seem to have come down in price but this was one of the best $22.99s I ever spent:

www.amazon.com/Look-What-Thoughts-Will-Do/dp/B000002AD4

 

[Pieface]

Southern Tenant Folk Union are good in a bluegrassy sort of way. Current as well

 

[timebomb]

The Highwaymen have been mentioned, but nobody has mentioned Waylon Jennings himself....so yeah...

Waylon Jennings

 

[MightyAphrodite]

If you want to opt for plagiarism and derivation.

And if anyone comes back with "Whiskeytown were alright", I'll raise you The Old 97s - forgotten pioneers of alt-country (whatever that is).

The one song of theirs to download is Big Brown Eyes.

Meanwhile another vote for Willie though i many ways you could argue he's pop with a bit of twang. My favourite song of his by far is "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground" and the Smoking Popes did a mighty emo-indie cover of it in 94.

Salome is a great song, timebomb etc, but that aint country.



clue me in a bit better on the Old 97's please!

 

[pengaleng]

Ryan Adams...

that guys a total berk. imo. there.

 

[MightyAphrodite]

that guys a total berk. imo. there.

leave my dad alone!

 

[pengaleng]

leave my dad alone!

I thought your dad was Brian not Ryan....

 

[MightyAphrodite]

I thought your dad was Brian not Ryan....

yeah i was made in the summer of '69

 

[MightyAphrodite]

but not born until '72.

oh yes, i went there!

 

[pengaleng]

yeah i was made in the summer of '69

(((((MA))))) I pity you. I bet you had to listen to that fucking everything I do record over an over too

 

[MightyAphrodite]

(((((MA))))) I pity you. I bet you had to listen to that fucking everything I do record over an over too

i HATE that fucking song tbh....

i really hate that song.


one of my top 10 hated songs.

thanks for the brackets, thats a real case of needing an internet hug.

 

[pengaleng]

i HATE that fucking song tbh....

i really hate that song.


one of my top 10 hated songs.

thanks for the brackets, thats a real case of needing an internet hug.

you and the rest of the world LOL!

that last line cracks me up

 

[MightyAphrodite]

you and the rest of the world LOL!

that last line cracks me up

i know its a really stupid song. lol

 

[MightyAphrodite]

you and the rest of the world LOL!

that last line cracks me up

do you know that my friend robin had that fuckin song played at her wedding just to be cruel ...she fuckin did ....lol

im watchin it on youtube and praying for a 'rickroll'

ch-ch-ch-check it....




jesusgodfuck.

 

[pengaleng]

lol no thanks!!!

 

[MightyAphrodite]

lol no thanks!!!

but it is country.

 

[twistedAM]

Salome is a great song, timebomb etc, but that aint country.



clue me in a bit better on the Old 97's please!

They're still going but on a not very good label and are now as much powerpop as country rock. I came across them in the early days of the web on alt.country discussion forums when the Americana genre was fresh and new and exciting in the wake of Uncle Tupelo (who split into Son Volt and Wilco). The three new bands that emerged straight out of the blocks on that scene were Slobberbone (from Denton, TX), The Old 97s (dallas, TX) and Whiskeytown (which spawned Satan).
The bone were my faves as they sounded like a whiskey-fuelled Replacements gone country but Old 97s had the big tunes. First album was actually the self-released "Hitchhike to Rhome" which got a proper release about five years alter but the classic one is "Wreck Your Life" and that's got the best version of Big Brown Eyes on it.
Oh, I'm rambling but Americana was exciting back then.
Links:
http://www.old97s.com/music/discography/cd/OLD_albumWreckYourLife.aspx
www.myspace.com/theold97s

I'll see if Ican find and audio clip of Big brown Eyes on the net.

 

[cybertect]

I'm more familiar with the song Wreck of the Old 97 (Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash and Seekers versions - played it a few times myself)

The bone were my faves as they sounded like a whiskey-fuelled Replacements gone country

This sounds interesting.

 

[metalguru]

Fur Dixon and Steve Werner are worth checking out...I really like their album 'The Pearl and the Swine'.

(She was the bass player from the Cramps with the pink mohican on their 'Date with Elvis' tour in '86 but has completely changed direction)

 

[metalguru]

Oops meant to add...

I got a lot out of exploring the various extensive country-ish extra-curricula activities of the Byrds, e.g Gene Clark's No Other

 

[ohmyliver]

yes, yes, yes Johnny Cash but what/who else is good? Who should I be looking for as I race down to Zavvi with my barely earned cash?

Please help, I need educating

Gram Pasons, Flying Burrito Brothers, Emmie Lou Harris....

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable about Country than me will be along in a minute though...

*eta* having read the rest of the thread, they have been

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

well I see Townes Van Zandt is already mentioned. A truly amazing guy. Listen to Sanitarium Blues which is a true story.
Guy clark has also been mentioned.
NOt read all three page but Slobberbone are worth a listen. They split up now but they did 4 amazing albums.
NOt sure whether or not wilco fall into the catagory. But I certainly think they are great.
Drive by Truckers are worthsome too.
Bottle Rockets as well.

 

[twistedAM]

I'm more familiar with the song Wreck of the Old 97 (Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash and Seekers versions - played it a few times myself)



This sounds interesting.

I see Boris has just mentioned Slobberbone too, saying they made four amazing albums - I'd actually argue was three amazing albums and one absolute classic ("Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today" though weirdly that's probably not the one you should start of with as i think you had to kind of grow through the first three to really get what they had achieved by the time they laid down "Everything..." iyswim)

They sort of morphed into a band called The Drams who are also very good but Slobberbone were just the business. Brent the songwriter was a defender of the loser, the drunk and the dumped, with both humour and anger. Bit like (the Mississippi novelist) Larry Brown writing for the Replacements, both of whom were big influences. An incendiary live band whose stes I never emerged from without having guzzled as much beer as the band.

 

[big eejit]

well I see Townes Van Zandt is already mentioned. A truly amazing guy. Listen to Sanitarium Blues which is a true story.
Guy clark has also been mentioned.
NOt read all three page but Slobberbone are worth a listen. They split up now but they did 4 amazing albums.
NOt sure whether or not wilco fall into the catagory. But I certainly think they are great.
Drive by Truckers are worthsome too.
Bottle Rockets as well.

I'd go along with Drive By Truckers. Saw them in Bristol earlier this year and they were great.

Other 'not dead' 'country' well worth looking into are:

Hank Williams III - Grandson of the man. Putting the dick back in dixie and the cunt back in cuntry.

Those Poor Bastards - darkly humourous tales of murder and betrayal and Best Band Ever. Brilliant.

and

The Deadstring Brothers (lovely tunes, Stones style country from Detroit, now based in UK I think)

 

[david dissadent]

What is the difference between country and folk?

 

[metalguru]

Can't believe I forgot to mention Mike Nesmith...

Excellent albums include:

'Magnetic South'
'Loose Salute'

and the one where its just him and a pedal steel guitar - "And the Hits Just Keep on Coming..' ('Harmony Constant' on that album is one of my favourite songs ever).

 

[MightyAphrodite]

They're still going but on a not very good label and are now as much powerpop as country rock. I came across them in the early days of the web on alt.country discussion forums when the Americana genre was fresh and new and exciting in the wake of Uncle Tupelo (who split into Son Volt and Wilco). The three new bands that emerged straight out of the blocks on that scene were Slobberbone (from Denton, TX), The Old 97s (dallas, TX) and Whiskeytown (which spawned Satan)*.
The bone were my faves as they sounded like a whiskey-fuelled Replacements gone country but Old 97s had the big tunes. First album was actually the self-released "Hitchhike to Rhome" which got a proper release about five years alter but the classic one is "Wreck Your Life" and that's got the best version of Big Brown Eyes on it.
Oh, I'm rambling but Americana was exciting back then.
Links:
http://www.old97s.com/music/discography/cd/OLD_albumWreckYourLife.aspx
www.myspace.com/theold97s

I'll see if Ican find and audio clip of Big brown Eyes on the net.

Ive seen the old 97's a few times tbh and they are great indeed.

*sits on hands*

 

[Hocus Eye.]

What is the difference between country and folk?

It is the like difference between strawberry jelly and fresh strawberries.

 

[MightyAphrodite]

bites.

twister...i i i cant stop myself...

we are going to have to do a blind taste test...

Big Brown Eyes

OR

My Heart Is Broken

and before you say "hank williams ripoff" , im gonna throw a spanner in there for alt-country because mhib is traditional country not anything alt...

like say...

Cherry Lane

Games

i await your reply with some old 97's as good.

BUT, i have a feeling that this will be one we will probably have to agree to disagree on.

 

[MightyAphrodite]

Hey, has anyone mentioned these crazy mo-fos for the alt-country bunch, cause they are , sometimes, well what they are isnt explainable other than aceness...but id rate this as crazy country...(rockabilly, but it does technically fall under country's massive tent of genres...)

Th' Legendary Shack Shakers

recommended listening...

Cussin' In Tongues

if you cant get down with that, then youre just , well , lost.